Mediterranean cities are facing a rumor against the climate crisis

700 meters above sea level, Anageia is one of the highest manned villages on Crete. The temperatures that are less than zero are not common. Heating is a necessity for 2000 people, many of which depend on tourism and grazing for living.

A decade ago, most houses continued to use traditional chimneys. I carried this smoke inward, the air polluted and contributed to removing the forests from the surrounding mountains. Given the increase in energy needs, anxiety of the environment and the effects of the Greek economic crisis, the city council began to search for sustainable and profitable alternatives.

Anogeia sharing en CompositionA European initiative that evolved between 2016 and 2019 and supported renewable energy projects in the 11 Mediterranean region. The program focused on helping small and medium municipalities to overcome the main obstacles such as employee deficiency and financing, as well as the lack of technical knowledge necessary to develop and apply sustainable energy plans.

This initiative was mainly funded through the European cohesion policy, which covered approximately 75 % of its budget of 2.5 million euros. The main goal was to enhance the use of renewable energies and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the Mediterranean, which is an area that heats a 20 % faster From the average world.

Very close, the coastal city of Rétino also cooperated while composing the challenges of sustainability resulting from rapid urban growth. The city provided the used kitchen oil collection system that converts this waste into biofuels. He also installed solar panels to feed the city council and loading stations for electric cars.

“I think environmental protection is collective responsibility. No one should consider something that is rejected by the other to do the job,” said the mayor of the city.

Nowadays, the project’s legacy is still alive Compound Resources GroupThe web platform maintains Stavrole and its students in the laboratory of renewable and sustainable energy systems at the University of Crete.

This tool fund, which serves both data warehouse and practical guide, provides municipalities and interested parties a simple approach, step -by -step, to adapt climate change strategies to local facts.